April 21: A Milestone Day For Firefighting In Manchester

MANCHESTER, CT — April 21 is a milestone day in the history of the Manchester Fire Department.

Here is the rundown from a social media post:

On this day 128 years ago:

BEGINNINGS OF SOUTH MANCHESTER FIRE DEPARTMENT

The need for a fire department in South Manchester was voiced increasingly during the late 1800's, particularly by F. Ernest Watkins, one of the partners of Watkins Brothers. A fire, which destroyed the Weldon business block in 1897, spurred action and a petition signed by twelve men to the Selectmen asking them to call a meeting to form a fire district. A meeting was called on April 21, 1897 and a fire district was organized by a vote of 56 to 46.

Boundaries of the district were set roughly through the center of Middle Turnpike, south through Parker and Autumn Streets, west along Charter Oak Street and Hartford road and north through Cooper Street and in a line with Bigelow Brook. In response to a petition submitted to the Selectmen less than a week later, the southern boundary was extended to include Spring and Hackmatack Streets.

Management of the district's business and property was assigned to the officers acting as a committee: President Frank Cheney Jr., Clerk F.E. Watkins, Treasurer Justus W. Hale and Assessor and Collector R.M. Rood.

The residents who met and voted to extend the original boundaries also voted a tax of 1 1/2 mills and authorized the borrowing of $3,000.00 to purchase apparatus. The tax levied by Mr. Rood was 15 cents for each male in the district between the ages of 18 and 60 and a personal property tax which included about 5 cents for a bicycle.

The Officers asked men in five sections of South Manchester to organize companies. The first to be organized was called West Side Company No.1, with L.N. Heebner as foreman, the company included five members of the Cheney family: Frank Jr., Charles, Horace B., C. Herman and Howell. Company No. 1 was supported financially by the Cheney Brothers for many years, although remained under the direction of the district committee.

Center Hose Company No. 2, located in the vicinity of the Center included Albert, James, Theodore Bidwell; Robert, Samuel, W.J. Smith among others. The Company was under the direction of Foreman Walter M. Saunders.

In the Orford Hose Company No. 3 were C.E. House, J.W. Hale, F.T. Blish with John P. Cheney serving as Foreman.

School Street Company No. 4 included William C. Cheney as Foreman, Alexander Rogers, Alexander Trotter, F.E. Watkins and Walter B. Cheney.

With Frank Tryon as Foreman, the Charter Oak Company No. 5 included Leo and James Burke ; George and Olin Day Andrew and John Gordon ; and Arthur Hale. Charter Oak Company No. 5 merged with School Street Company No. 4 in 1905.

The four remaining Companies were organized into a Fire Department in June of 1897 and named the South Manchester Fire Department. Frank Cheney Jr. was selected as the first Chief of the Department. The Department was consolidated with the Town of Manchester in November of 1956 to form the current entity known as:

- South Manchester Fire District - 1887-1957
- Town of Manchester Fire Department - 1957-1997
- Manchester Fire - Rescue - EMS 1998-2023
- Manchester Fire Department - 2023